Review‘...buzzes with a mixture of locals and visitors...’
Located ten miles north of Oxford, in the village of Bletchingdon, lies a pub with many strings to its
bow – The Blacks Head Inn. It is a pub with fine ale; it is also the village shop, stocking essentials; it is
a meeting hub with one large saloon devoted to pool and television; it is a café serving breakfast,
morning coffee and afternoon tea; it provides bed and breakfast for travellers; and it is, naturally, a
restaurant. Whatever your age, whatever your reason for visiting, you will be catered for in an astute and
caring manner. It is testament to owner Jayne Evans and her host of helpful staff that the place buzzes
with a mixture of locals and visitors. Some reserve tables, others take their pick from the comfy bar, airy
conservatory or outside beneath a wide-brimmed parasol. Children are happy (toys are provided), dogs
welcomed, and yet it is possible to settle into a private corner too.
The food ranges from baked potatoes and sandwich snacks, to hearty starters and mains. From the
staggeringly large and wide-ranging menu, you could pick an
entrée from a selection of homemade vegetables soups, paté
or prawn purses. There are three types of lasagne on offer
(including butternut squash, spinach and wild mushroom, or
salmon and prawn), a handful of curries (sweet potato, chickpea and spinach, or a vegetarian Thai
option), and pies in abundance (steak and ale, or chicken, leek and ham). Dishes of lamb shank, fish and
chips, and burgers all come served with lavish assortments of appropriate accompaniments; there is a
main course for every occasion. It is worth noting that the vegetarian menu is impressive and that every
portion served is extraordinarily generous. The traditional puddings, should you have room, include
crumble, jam sponge, spiced plum, or the intriguing chocolate ‘lumpy bumpy’.
Visit The Blacks Head and you will leave wishing that more English villages were served by similar
